Table of Contents

UNIT 1 INTRODUCTION TO THE ROMANTIC AGE ........................................................................ 1

Unit 2 SALIENT FEATURES OF ROMANTICISM ........................................................................... 3
UNIT 3 INTRODUCTION TO ROMANTIC POETS............................................................................. 6
UNIT 4 O .................................................................................................................................................... 8
UNIT 5 S .................................................................................................................................................... 9
UNIT 6 T ..................................................................................................................................................... 9
UNIT 7 M .................................................................................................................................................... 9
UNIT 8 T ..................................................................................................................................................... 9
John Keats ......................................................................................................................................................... 9
Summary of the Poem “Ode on a Grecian Urn”............................................................................................ 9
John Keats……….. Bullet Points .................................................................................................................... 10
Summary of “Ode on a Grecian Urn” .......................................................................................................... 10
Text: Ode on a Grecian Urn ........................................................................................................................ 11
Ode to a Nightingale ................................................................................................................................... 13
Summary of "Ode on Melancholy" .............................................................................................................. 13
Text: Ode to a Nightingale ........................................................................................................................... 14
Ode on Melancholy ..................................................................................................................................... 16
Unit 9 Lord Byron ....................................................................................................................................... 19

9063 ROMANTIC POETRY

(Syed Salahuddin Bukhari, Assistant Prof of English, Doctoral Candidate AIOU)
03217498931 f

UNIT 1 INTRODUCTION TO THE ROMANTIC AGE

• Overview of Romanticism:
o A movement in art, literature, music, and philosophy (1800–1850).
o Focused on emotion, individualism, and idealization of nature.
o Reaction against industrialization, urbanization, and Enlightenment rationality.
• Key Characteristics:
o Emphasis on extreme emotions (fear, horror, wonder).
o Revival of medieval themes, folk art, and historical customs.
o Distrust of science and industrial progress.
o Value placed on imagination and breaking traditional forms.
o Elevated the sublime and natural beauty.
• Origins and Influences:
o Rooted in the German Sturm und Drang movement (focus on emotions, nature, and
individualism).
o Influenced by the French Revolution, emphasizing "heroic" individualism and social
change.
• Cultural Impact:
o Affected fields like literature, music, visual arts, historiography, and natural
sciences.
o Inspired political ideologies: conservatism, liberalism, radicalism, and nationalism.
o Contrasted with Realism, which emerged in the later 19th century.
 • Romantic Literature:
o Pioneered by figures like Joseph Warton, Thomas Warton, and James Macpherson.
o Influenced by Gothic fiction, supernatural themes, and the focus on individual
experiences.
o Themes: isolation, sensibility, nature, past criticism, and human psychology.
o Rejected satire and formal conventions of the Neoclassical era.
• Poetic Innovations:
o Emphasis on personal experience and "powerful feelings" (Wordsworth's
"spontaneous overflow").
o Focus on imagination as a divine and creative energy (Coleridge, Blake).
o Shift from imitative norms to spontaneous, free-form poetry.
o Renewed focus on everyday speech in poetry, challenging archaic diction.
• Prominent Figures and Ideas:
o Writers like Blake, Shelley, Keats, and Wordsworth shaped Romantic thought.
o Advocated for liberty, individual thought, and breaking societal conventions.
o Valued the unconscious mind, dreams, and primeval clarity.
• Romanticism’s Decline:
o Linked to social and political changes in the late 19th century.
o Realism emerged as a counter-movement, focusing on practical and societal issues.
.
 9063 ROMANTIC POETRY
(Syed Salahuddin Bukhari, Assistant Prof of English, Doctoral Candidate AIOU)
03217498931
Unit 2 SALIENT FEATURES OF ROMANTICISM
Salient Features of Romanticism
Key Characteristics of Romanticism
• Romanticism advocates for freedom from classical and neo-classical rules in art and
literature.
• Core features include:
o High imagination
o Love for nature
o Spontaneity
o Interest in the remote and past
o Simplicity in expression
o Revolutionary zeal
o Individualism and subjectivity
o Supernaturalism and medievalism
o Love for freedom and liberty
o Predominance of lyricism
Romantic Poetry
• Fanciful, introspective, and marked by extravagance.
• Prioritizes imagination, emotions, and creativity over realism.
• Examples:
o Wordsworth’s “Tintern Abbey” imagines a hermit in the forest.
o Keats’ "Ode to a Nightingale" explores a fantastical world.
Treatment of Nature
• Wordsworth: Mystic and pantheist; sees nature as a guide and guardian.
• Keats: Sensuous approach to nature, emphasizing beauty.
Style and Themes
• A spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings and passions.
• Focus on substance over form, leading to vagueness and obscurity.
• Subjective expression, emphasizing emotions and personal experiences.
• Examples:
o Wordsworth’s “Immortality Ode” emphasizes the prophet-like nature of children.
o Keats’ odes like "Ode on a Grecian Urn" showcase objectivity and sensuality.
Pessimism and Escapism
• Romantic poets often escape harsh realities by:
o Retreating to nature (Wordsworth).
o Fantasizing about an ideal world (Keats’ escapism).
• Fascination with the medieval world’s charm and simplicity.
Simplicity and Commonality
• Emphasis on simplicity in language and subject matter.
• Preference for ballad meter, Spenserian stanzas, and blank verse over heroic couplets.
• Wordsworth’s "Preface to the Lyrical Ballads" advocates for the use of common language.
Romantic Poets and Contributions
• Major poets: Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Shelley, and Keats.
• Wordsworth: Elevates natural objects to mystical levels.
• Coleridge: Blends supernatural and natural.
• Byron and Shelley: Revolutionary themes.
• Keats: Sensuality to reflection in odes.
Concept of the Poet and the Poem
• Shift from external events to individual subjectivity and inner emotions.
 • Poetry as a spontaneous overflow of feelings, emphasizing the poet’s imagination and
personal experiences.
• Lyric poems become dominant, with "I" reflecting the poet’s persona.
• Wordsworth’s "The Prelude": Explores the poet’s mental and spiritual growth.
Themes in Romantic Poetry
• Exploration of self’s crisis and rebirth.
• Poets as prophet-like figures (e.g., Wordsworth, Blake, Shelley).
• Inward journeys to discover true identity and spiritual mission.
Spontaneity and Emotion
• Poetry arises from impulses of feeling rather than adherence to classical rules.
• Romantic poets emphasize natural instincts and inspiration over learned conventions.
III. Romantic "Nature Poetry"
• Romantic poetry heavily emphasizes "nature poetry" as a key characteristic.
• Wordsworth's Lyrical Ballads responded to urbanization's negative impact by focusing on
outdoor surroundings.
• Romantic poets criticized 18th-century poets for their lack of genuine depiction of natural
phenomena (e.g., moonlit skies).
• Romantic poets often used nature as a stimulus for introspection and symbolic
representation of personal crises.
• Romantic poetry infused landscapes with human emotions and life, reflecting a reciprocal
relationship between humanity and nature.
• Counter-beliefs existed (e.g., Blake, Shelley), viewing nature as a pathway to spiritual or
inner truths rather than direct observation.
IV. The Glorification of the Ordinary
• Romantic poetry elevated common life and simple language, as advocated by Wordsworth
in Lyrical Ballads.
• Wordsworth sought to depict humble and rural life with imagination, challenging
traditional poetic hierarchies.
• William Hazlitt compared Wordsworth's poetic innovations to the French Revolution in
their transformative nature.
• Women poets (e.g., Barbauld, Robinson, Baillie) contributed by portraying ordinary life and
perspectives of children.
• Wordsworth aimed to awaken a sense of wonder in the mundane, blending novelty with
everyday experiences.
V. The Supernatural, Romance, and Psychological Extremes
• The supernatural introduced wonder, mystery, and emotional intensity into Romantic
poetry.
• Coleridge excelled in merging the supernatural with ordinary elements, as seen in The Rime
of the Ancient Mariner and Kubla Khan.
• Romantic "romance" explored distant pasts, remote places, and extraordinary experiences,
reclaiming medieval literary traditions.
• Writers like Byron and Keats blended romance's exoticism and medieval revival in works
like Childe Harold and The Eve of St. Agnes.
• Romantic poets delved into psychological extremes and mysteries of the mind, exploring
emotions and imagination deeply.
Individualism and Alienation in Romantic Poetry

Emphasis on Individualism
• Romantic poetry highlighted individual freedom and subjective experiences.
• Subjective experiences revealed the inner self more accurately.
• Byron's works reflected self-sufficiency, attracting criticism for rejecting human
connections (e.g., Hazlitt’s critique using Shakespeare’s Coriolanus).
 • Wordsworth prioritized personal creativity over traditional poetic conventions, as noted in
the Preface to Lyrical Ballads.
Philosophical Foundations
• German thinkers (e.g., Kant) shaped Romantic ideas of self-authorship and experience
creation.
• Coleridge viewed the human mind as active and divine, echoing Kant’s ideas.
• Wordsworth described the mind as both creator and recipient of experience (The Prelude).
Expanded Heroism and Unattainable Desires
• Romantic heroism revolved around endless quests and unattainable goals (e.g., Shelley’s
“desire of the moth for a star”).
• Blake declared, “Less than everything cannot satisfy man.”
Evolving Nature of Poetry
• Friedrich Schlegel’s idea of poetry as “forever becoming” justified fragmentary works (e.g.,
Coleridge’s Kubla Khan).
• Poets experimented with hybrid genres like elegiac sonnets and lyrical ballads.
• Blake redefined books through “illuminated printing,” merging words and images.
Solitude and Nature
• Romantic poetry idealized solitude and nature as a refuge from social laws.
• Nature was depicted as wild and untamed, providing freedom from societal constraints.
• Desolate landscapes often hosted alienated figures, such as disillusioned visionaries or
cursed outlaws.
Romantic Figures of Alienation
• Figures like Cain, the Wandering Jew, and Prometheus symbolized rebellion and alienation.
• Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein reimagined Prometheus as a flawed figure, emphasizing
alienation and hubris.
Women and Alienation
• Women writers like Robinson, Hemans, and Landon portrayed “ladies of genius” as
alienated figures akin to Sappho.
• Hemans and Landon navigated societal pressures by blending brilliance with themes of
domesticity and self-sacrifice.
Conclusion
• Romantic poetry redefined creativity and heroism through individualism and alienation.
• It celebrated solitude, subjective expression, and rebellion against tradition while exploring
the costs of isolation and societal norms.
 9063 ROMANTIC POETRY
(Syed Salahuddin Bukhari, Assistant Prof of English, Doctoral Candidate AIOU)
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UNIT 3 INTRODUCTION TO ROMANTIC POETS
3.1. Introduction to Romantic Poets
• Romantic poets had varied styles; no strict consistency among them.
• Aim: To transform the intellectual climate of their era.
3.3. Early Romantic Poets
William Blake:
• Criticized the irreligious and uninspired contemporary philosophy.
• Early works:
o An Island in the Moon (satirical humor, 1784–85).
o Songs of Innocence (1789): Visionary simplicity.
• Major themes:
o Hypocrisy of analytic reason (The Marriage of Heaven and Hell).
o Explored mythology through The First Book of Urizen (1794) and Vala/The
Four Zoas.
o Positioned artists as societal heroes (Milton, Jerusalem).
William Wordsworth:
• Inspired by French Revolution but conflicted over war between Britain and France.
• Explored human tragedy and potential in:
o Early works: The Ruined Cottage, The Pedlar.
o Later works: Lyrical Ballads (1798) and The Prelude (autobiographical).
• Key themes: Nature, memory, and everyday lives (Michael, The Brothers).
Samuel Taylor Coleridge:
• Collaborated with Wordsworth on Lyrical Ballads.
• Key contributions:
o The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.
o Emphasis on nature and human instincts.
3.4. Other Early Romantic Poets
• Sir Walter Scott: Known for narrative poems (The Lay of the Last Minstrel).
• Charlotte Smith & William Lisle Bowles: Influenced Romantic themes.
• Thomas Campbell & Samuel Rogers: Patriotic and conversational poetry.
• Thomas Moore: Famous for Irish Melodies and Lalla Rookh.
• Robert Southey: Member of the "Lake School," known for ballads and prose.
• George Crabbe: Wrote unsentimental depictions of rural life (The Village, The
Borough).
iii. Later Romantic Poets
Percy Bysshe Shelley:
• Politically driven, inspired by Godwin's anarchism.
• Major works:
o Queen Mab, Prometheus Unbound, Ode to the West Wind.
• Themes: Cosmic transcendence, nature’s power, and poetic prophecy.
John Keats:
• Focused on sensual, detailed imagery.
• Early works: Endymion, Isabella.
• Key achievements (1819): The Eve of St. Agnes, "Ode to a Nightingale," "To
Autumn."
• Explored themes of beauty, mortality, and symbolic meaning (Hyperion).
Lord Byron:
• Created poetry with boldness and style.
• Focused on personal themes with a Mediterranean influence.
 9063 ROMANTIC POETRY
(Syed Salahuddin Bukhari, Assistant Prof of English, Doctoral Candidate AIOU)
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UNIT 4 O
 9063 ROMANTIC POETRY
(Syed Salahuddin Bukhari, Assistant Prof of English, Doctoral Candidate AIOU)
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UNIT 5 S

9063 ROMANTIC POETRY

(Syed Salahuddin Bukhari, Assistant Prof of English, Doctoral Candidate AIOU)
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UNIT 6 T

9063 ROMANTIC POETRY

(Syed Salahuddin Bukhari, Assistant Prof of English, Doctoral Candidate AIOU)
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UNIT 7 M

9063 ROMANTIC POETRY

(Syed Salahuddin Bukhari, Assistant Prof of English, Doctoral Candidate AIOU)
03217498931
UNIT 8 T

John Keats
John Keats was a notable English poet and one of the Romantic movement's
younger poets. In 1795, he was born in Moorefield, London. His father, Thomas Keats,
died when John was only eight years old. When John was 14, his mother, Frances
Jennings Keats, died of TB. These tragic events greatly affected his thinking, bringing him
closer to his other siblings, Tom and George, and his sister Fanny. Following his parents'
deaths, Keats found solace in books and painting. He built a close relationship with the
school's headmaster, John Clarke, who was like a father figure to the orphaned learner.
He also encouraged his young disciple's love of art and literature.
In 1810, Keats left Enfield to pursue a profession as a surgeon. In 1816, he finished
medical training and became a qualified apothecary at London Hospital. His passion for art
and literature never waned, even though his medical career never took off. In the
meantime, he met The Examiner's publisher, Leigh Hunt, through a personal friend,
Cowden Clarke.
Soon after engaging with Fanny Brawne, he authored his renowned poems "Ode on
a Grecian Urn" and "Ode to a Nightingale". Then, in February of 1820, Keats developed
TB symptoms. Despite his severe sickness, he attempted to complete his final poetry, and
his poems received excellent reviews. However, Keats gave up writing and travelled to
Italy with his friend Joseph Severn for treatment however, he did not survive and died on
February 23, 1820. He was laid to rest in Rome.
Summary of the Poem “Ode on a Grecian Urn”
In the first stanza, the speaker stands before an ancient Grecian urn and addresses it. He
is preoccupied with its depiction of pictures frozen in time. It is the “still unravish’d bride of
quietness,” the “foster-child of silence and slow time.” He also describes the urn as a
“historian” that can tell a story. He wonders about the figures on the side of the urn and
asks what legend they depict and from where they come. He looks at a picture that seems
to depict a group of men pursuing a group of women and wonders what their story could
be: “What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape? / What pipes and timbrels? What wild
ecstasy?”
In the second stanza, the speaker looks at another picture on the urn, this time of a young
man playing a pipe, lying with his lover beneath a glade of trees. The speaker says that
the piper’s “unheard” melodies are sweeter than mortal melodies because they are
unaffected by time. He tells the youth that, though he can never kiss his lover because he
is frozen in time, he should not grieve, because her beauty will never fade. In the third
stanza, he looks at the trees surrounding the lovers and feels happy that they will never
shed their leaves. He is happy for the piper because his songs will be “for ever new,” and
happy that the love of the boy and the girl will last forever, unlike mortal love, which lapses
into “breathing human passion” and eventually vanishes, leaving behind only a “burning
forehead, and a parching tongue.”
In the fourth stanza, the speaker examines another picture on the urn, this one of a group
of villagers leading a heifer to be sacrificed. He wonders where they are going (“To what
green altar, O mysterious priest...”) and from where they have come. He imagines their
little town, empty of all its citizens, and tells it that its streets will “for evermore” be silent,
for those who have left it, frozen on the urn, will never return. In the final stanza, the
speaker again addresses the urn itself, saying that it, like Eternity, “doth tease us out of
thought.” He thinks that when his generation is long dead, the urn will remain, telling future
generations its enigmatic lesson: “Beauty is truth, truth beauty.” The speaker says that that
is the only thing the urn knows and the only thing it needs to know.
John Keats……….. Bullet Points
• Birth: Born in 1795 in Moorefield, London.
• Family Tragedies:
o Father, Thomas Keats, died when John was 8 years old.
o Mother, Frances Jennings Keats, died of tuberculosis when John was 14.
• Impact of Tragedies:
o Became close to siblings Tom, George, and Fanny.
o Found solace in books and painting.
o Headmaster John Clarke became a mentor, encouraging his love for art and
literature.
• Career in Medicine:
o Left Enfield in 1810 to train as a surgeon.
o Qualified as an apothecary in 1816 but lacked interest in practicing medicine.
• Literary Journey:
o Met publisher Leigh Hunt through Cowden Clarke.
o Engaged with Fanny Brawne.
o Wrote famous poems "Ode on a Grecian Urn" and "Ode to a Nightingale."
• Health Decline:
o Showed symptoms of tuberculosis in February 1820.
o Moved to Italy with Joseph Severn for treatment but died on February 23,
1820.
o Buried in Rome.

Summary of “Ode on a Grecian Urn”

Stanza 1
• Speaker admires the urn as a “bride of quietness” and “foster-child of silence.”
• Describes the urn as a “historian” telling stories through its depictions.
• Wonders about the legend behind the images, asking:
o “What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape?”
Stanza 2
• Observes a piper playing music for his lover under trees.
• Unheard melodies are sweeter as they are eternal.
• Though frozen, the lover’s beauty and the piper’s music will never fade.
Stanza 3
 • Admiration for the eternal spring depicted on the urn.
• Trees never shed leaves, and the love of the youth and his lover will never decay.
• Contrasts this with mortal love, which fades over time.
Stanza 4
• Describes a group of villagers leading a heifer to be sacrificed.
• Imagines their deserted town, frozen in time, forever silent.
Stanza 5
• Addresses the urn as a timeless object of beauty.
• Reflects that the urn will outlast generations, imparting the message:
o “Beauty is truth, truth beauty.”
• Believes this is the urn’s only lesson, sufficient for understanding life.
Text: Ode on a Grecian Urn
Thou still unravished bride of quietness,
Thou foster-child of silence and slow time,
Sylvan historian, who canst thus express
A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme:
What leaf-fring'd legend haunts about thy shape
Of deities or mortals, or of both,
In Tempe or the dales of Arcady?
What men or gods are these? What maidens loth?
What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape?
What pipes and timbrels? What wild ecstasy?
Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard
Are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes, play on;
Not to the sensual ear, but, more endear'd,
Pipe to the spirit ditties of no tone:
Fair youth, beneath the trees, thou canst not leave
Thy song, nor ever can those trees be bare;
Bold Lover, never, never canst thou kiss,
Though winning near the goal yet, do not grieve;
She cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss,
For ever wilt thou love, and she be fair!
Ah, happy, happy boughs! that cannot shed
Your leaves, nor ever bid the Spring adieu;
And, happy melodist, unwearied,
Forever piping songs for ever new;
More happy love! more happy, happy love!
Forever warm and still to be enjoy'd,
Forever panting, and for ever young;
All breathing human passion far above,
That leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloy'd,
A burning forehead, and a parching tongue.
Who are these coming to the sacrifice?
To what green altar, O mysterious priest,
Lead'st thou that heifer lowing at the skies,
And all her silken flanks with garlands drest?
What little town by river or seashore,
Or mountain-built with peaceful citadel,
Is emptied of this folk, this pious morn?
And, little town, thy streets forevermore
Will silent be; and not a soul to tell
Why thou art desolate, can e'er return.
O Attic shape! Fair attitude! with brede
Of marble men and maidens overwrought,
With forest branches and the trodden weed;
Thou, silent form, dost tease us out of thought
As doth eternity: Cold Pastoral!
 When old age shall this generation waste,
Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe
Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou sayst,
"Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know."

Written in 1819 during Keats' prolific creative period.

Basic Setup:
• Speaker observes a Grecian urn adorned with images of ancient Greek rural life.
• The urn’s pictures capture life’s beauty, frozen in time.
Speaker’s Response:
• Fascinated, mystified, and excited by the scenes.
• Reaction changes with his mood, leaving more questions than answers.
Debate on Conclusion:
• The urn conveys that truth and beauty are synonymous.
• This interpretation remains a topic of scholarly discussion.
Legacy:
• Written alongside other famous odes like "Ode to a Nightingale."
• Initially unappreciated but now one of the most celebrated poems in English
literature.
Ode to a Nightingale
…………………… Ode to a Nightingale ……………………

Written in 1819 during Keats' most creative period.

Theme:
• Explores the contrast between the transient nature of human life and the timeless
beauty of the nightingale’s song.
Speaker’s Experience:
• Hears the nightingale’s song and is transported into a state of joy and imagination.
• Feels a longing to escape life’s suffering and join the bird’s eternal world.
Imagery and Reflection:
• Vivid imagery of nature and the speaker’s desire for oblivion.
• Considers death as a peaceful escape while listening to the nightingale’s immortal
song.
Contrast:
• The bird is immortal, symbolizing timeless art and beauty.
• Human life is fleeting and filled with pain and decay.
Ending:
• The speaker’s dreamlike state ends as the bird’s song fades away.
• Left questioning whether the experience was real or imagined.
Legacy:
• One of Keats’ most celebrated odes, praised for its deep emotion and rich imagery.

Summary of "Ode on Melancholy"

• Written in 1819, part of Keats’ celebrated series of five odes.
• Theme:
o Explores how to cope with deep sadness without resorting to destructive
escapism.
o Emphasizes the connection between joy and sorrow.
• Speaker’s Advice:
o Avoid seeking relief in alcohol or thoughts of death.
o Embrace melancholy as an essential part of life.
• Key Idea:
o Happiness and melancholy are intertwined; beauty is fleeting, and its
impermanence brings sadness.
 • Imagery:
o Vivid descriptions of nature and beauty symbolize life’s transient joys.
o Contrasts between life, death, joy, and grief.
• Philosophical Reflection:
o Melancholy deepens appreciation for beauty and joy.
o Recognizes sorrow as a companion to moments of profound beauty.
• Legacy:
o Celebrated for its emotional depth, philosophical insights, and striking
imagery.
Text: Ode to a Nightingale
My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains
My sense, as though of hemlock I had drunk,
Or emptied some dull opiate to the drains
One minute past, and Lethe-wards had sunk:
'Tis not through envy of thy happy lot,
But being too happy in thine happiness,—
That thou, light-winged Dryad of the trees
In some melodious plot
Of beechen green, and shadows numberless,
Singest of summer in full-throated ease.
O, for a draught of vintage! that hath been
Cool'd a long age in the deep-delved earth,
Tasting of Flora and the country green,
Dance, and Provençal song, and sunburnt mirth!
O for a beaker full of the warm South,
Full of the true, the blushful Hippocrene,
With beaded bubbles winking at the brim,
And purple-stained mouth;
That I might drink, and leave the world unseen,
And with thee fade away into the forest dim:
Fade far away, dissolve, and quite forget
What thou among the leaves hast never known,
The weariness, the fever, and the fret
Here, where men sit and hear each other groan;
Where palsy shakes a few, sad, last gray hairs,
Where youth grows pale, and spectre-thin, and dies;
Where but to think is to be full of sorrow
And leaden-eyed despairs,
Where Beauty cannot keep her lustrous eyes,
Or new Love pine at them beyond to-morrow.
Away! away! for I will fly to thee,
Not charioted by Bacchus and his pards,
But on the viewless wings of Poesy,
Though the dull brain perplexes and retards:
Already with thee! tender is the night,
And haply the Queen-Moon is on her throne,
Cluster'd around by all her starry Fays;
But here there is no light,
Save what from heaven is with the breezes blown
Through verdurous glooms and winding mossy ways.
I cannot see what flowers are at my feet,
Nor what soft incense hangs upon the boughs,
But, in embalmed darkness, guess each sweet
Wherewith the seasonable month endows
The grass, the thicket, and the fruit-tree wild;
White hawthorn, and the pastoral eglantine;
Fast fading violets cover'd up in leaves;
And mid-May's eldest child,
The coming musk-rose, full of dewy wine,
The murmurous haunt of flies on summer eves.
Darkling I listen; and, for many a time
I have been half in love with easeful Death,
Call him soft names in many a mused rhyme,
To take into the air my quiet breath;
Now more than ever seems it rich to die,
To cease upon the midnight with no pain,
While thou art pouring forth thy soul abroad
In such an ecstasy!
Still wouldst thou sing, and I have ears in vain—
To thy high requiem become a sod.
Thou wast not born for death, immortal Bird!
No hungry generations tread thee down;
The voice I hear this passing night was heard
In ancient days by emperor and clown:
Perhaps the self-same song that found a path
Through the sad heart of Ruth, when, sick for home,
She stood in tears amid the alien corn;
The same that oft-times hath
Charm'd magic casements, opening on the foam
Of perilous seas, in faery lands forlorn.
Forlorn! the very word is like a bell
To toll me back from thee to my sole self!
Adieu! the fancy cannot cheat so well
As she is fam'd to do, deceiving elf.
 Adieu! adieu! thy plaintive anthem fades
Past the near meadows, over the still stream,
Up the hill-side; and now 'tis buried deep
In the next valley-glades:
Was it a vision, or a waking dream?
Fled is that music:—Do I wake or sleep?

Ode on Melancholy
"Ode on Melancholy." is one of five odes Keats wrote in 1819 that are often regarded as
among his best. Essentially, the poem is about dealing with tremendous sadness—and
how not to deal with it. The speaker comes across as an advisor who advises against
seeking solace in alcohol or death. On the other hand, the speaker believes that
melancholy should be embraced. The poem also makes a connection between happiness
and melancholy. Because all beautiful things must end, the poem implies that every
beauty is tinged with profound grief.

Summary of "Ode on Melancholy"

• Written in 1819, part of Keats’ celebrated series of five great odes.
• Theme:
o Addresses coping with intense sadness and melancholy.
o Links joy and sorrow, showing they are inseparable.
• Speaker’s Advice:
o Reject escapism like alcohol, drugs, or thoughts of death.
o Face and embrace melancholy as a natural part of life.
• Key Idea:
o Beauty is transient, and its fleeting nature brings both joy and grief.
o Melancholy heightens the appreciation of life’s beauty.
• Imagery:
o Vivid natural imagery symbolizes fleeting beauty and emotional intensity.
o Contrasts sorrow with the vibrancy of life.
• Philosophical Reflection:
o Sorrow and joy coexist; understanding one deepens the appreciation of the
other.
• Legacy:
o A masterpiece celebrated for its philosophical depth, emotional resonance,
and rich symbolism.
Ode on Melancholy
No, no, go not to Lethe, neither twist
Wolf's-bane, tight-rooted, for its poisonous wine;
Nor suffer thy pale forehead to be kiss'd
By nightshade, ruby grape of Proserpine;
Make not your rosary of yew-berries,
Nor let the beetle, nor the death-moth be
Your mournful Psyche, nor the downy owl
A partner in your sorrow's mysteries;
For shade to shade will come too drowsily,
And drown the wakeful anguish of the soul.
But when the melancholy fit shall fall
Sudden from heaven like a weeping cloud,

That fosters the droop-headed flowers all,

And hides the green hill in an April shroud;
Then glut thy sorrow on a morning rose,
Or on the rainbow of the salt sand-wave,

Or on the wealth of globed peonies;

Or if thy mistress some rich anger shows,
Imprison her soft hand, and let her rave,
And feed deep, deep upon her peerless eyes.

She dwells with Beauty—Beauty that must die;

And Joy, whose hand is ever at his lips
Bidding adieu; and aching Pleasure nigh,
 Turning to poison while the bee-mouth sips:

Ay, in the very temple of Delight

Veil'd Melancholy has her sovran shrine,
Though seen of none save him whose strenuous tongue
Can burst Joy's grape against his palate fine;
His soul shalt taste the sadness of her might,
And be among her cloudy trophies hung.

Summary
The "Ode on Melancholy's" three stanzas address how to deal with sadness. The opening
verse instructs the reader on what not to do: The victim should not "go to Lethe," or forget
their sorrow (Lethe is the Greek mythological river of forgetfulness); they should not
commit suicide (nightshade, "the ruby grape of Proserpine," is a poison; Proserpine is the
mythological queen of the underworld); and should not become obsessed with objects of
death and misery (the beetle, the death-moth, and the owl). Because, according to the
speaker, this will make the sufferer's inner pain drowsy, the sufferer should do everything
he can to be conscious of and alert to the depths of his suffering.
The speaker tells the suffering what to do instead of the things he forbidden in the
first verse in the second stanza. When suffering from "the gloomy fit," the sufferer should
gorge himself on natural beauty, feasting on the morning rose, "the rainbow of the salt
sand-wave," or his beloved's eyes. The speaker explains these prohibitions in the third
line, noting that pleasure and suffering are intimately linked: beauty must perish, joy is
ephemeral, and the flower of pleasure is constantly "changing to poison while the bee-
mouth sips." The speaker claims that the shrine of melancholy is located within the "temple
of Delight" but that it can only be seen if one can "burst[ing] Joy's grape against his palate
nicely" until it displays its centre of grief. The one who succeeds will be able to "experience
the misery" of melancholy's might and "hang among her hazy trophies."

"Ode on Melancholy"
First Stanza: What Not to Do
• Avoid seeking oblivion through forgetfulness (e.g., "Lethe," the river of forgetfulness
in Greek mythology).
• Do not consider suicide or poisons (e.g., "nightshade," "ruby grape of Proserpine,"
associated with the underworld).
• Refrain from obsessing over death and symbols of misery (e.g., beetle, death-moth,
owl).
• Avoid dulling your pain; instead, stay alert to your suffering and its intensity.
Second Stanza: What to Do
• Embrace natural beauty during moments of sadness (e.g., morning roses,
rainbows, or the beloved’s eyes).
• Allow yourself to connect deeply with fleeting joys in the natural world.
Third Stanza: The Connection Between Joy and Sorrow
• Joy and sorrow are intertwined:
o Beauty is fleeting, and its ephemerality causes grief.
o Pleasure often transforms into sorrow (e.g., "flower of pleasure changes to
poison").
• The essence of melancholy lies within joy:
o It resides in the "temple of Delight" but reveals itself through an awareness of
joy’s impermanence.
Key Reflection
• To truly understand and experience melancholy:
o One must savor joy completely, even as it leads to grief.
o This allows one to grasp melancholy’s full power and significance,
symbolized by hanging among its "hazy trophies."
Themes
• The transient nature of beauty and joy.
• The coexistence of pleasure and pain.
• Melancholy as a profound and enriching human experience.
Imagery
• Greek mythology (Lethe, Proserpine, death-moth, owl).
• Natural beauty (morning roses, rainbows, the beloved’s eyes).
• The "temple of Delight" as a metaphor for the duality of joy and sorrow.
Teaching Focus
• Discuss how Keats contrasts escapism with embracing suffering.
• Explore the philosophical relationship between joy and melancholy.
• Analyze the vivid imagery and its symbolic meanings.
•
•9063 ROMANTIC POETRY
• (Syed Salahuddin Bukhari, Assistant Prof of English, Doctoral Candidate AIOU)
03217498931

Unit 9 Lord Byron

Lord Byron was an English poet and peer, born George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron
Byron, FRS (Greek: v, romanized: Lórdos Vronas; 22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824). One
of the most critical players in the Romantic movement, Byron is considered one of
England's finest poets. He continues to be well-read and influential. The long narrative
poems Don Juan and Childe Harold's Pilgrimage are among his best-known works; many
of his shorter compositions in Hebrew Melodies also became popular.
He travelled widely throughout Europe, particularly in Italy, where he spent seven
years in Venice, Ravenna, and Pisa. In Italy, he paid frequent visits to Percy Bysshe
Shelley, a friend and fellow poet. Later in life, Byron fought in the Greek Conflict of
Independence against the Ottoman Empire and died as the commander of a campaign
during that war, for which Greeks held him in high regard. He died of a fever suffered after
the First and Second Siege of Missolonghi in 1824 at the age of 36.
Based on her notes for Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine, his sole legitimate
child, Ada Lovelace, is considered a pioneering figure in computer programming. Allegra
Byron, who died as a child, and maybe Elizabeth Medora Leigh, the daughter of his half-
sister Augusta Leigh, were among Byron's adulterous offspring.

Lord Byron and His Poems

About Lord Byron
• Full name: George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (1788–1824).
• One of the leading figures of the Romantic movement, celebrated for his passionate
and dramatic style.
• Famous works:
o Long narrative poems: Don Juan, Childe Harold's Pilgrimage.
o Shorter poems: Hebrew Melodies collection, including She Walks in Beauty.
• Known for his adventurous life:
o Traveled extensively across Europe, especially in Italy.
o Friends with Romantic poets such as Percy Bysshe Shelley.
o Fought in the Greek War of Independence and became a Greek national
hero.
o Died at 36 from fever during the Siege of Missolonghi.
• Legacy:
o Father of Ada Lovelace, a pioneer in computer programming.
o A controversial yet influential figure in literature and politics.

"She Walks in Beauty"

• Themes:
 o Celebration of physical beauty and inner purity.
o The harmony between external appearance and inner virtues.
• Imagery:
o Combines natural and cosmic elements (e.g., "like the night of cloudless
climes and starry skies").
o Highlights the balance between light and dark, symbolizing moral and
physical perfection.
• Structure:
o Lyric poem with a regular ABAB rhyme scheme.
o Expresses admiration through fluid and melodious language.
• Teaching Focus:
o Explore the Romantic ideal of beauty and its connection to nature.
o Discuss how the poet conveys admiration without overt passion,
emphasizing purity and grace.

"When We Two Parted"

• Themes:
o Love, loss, and betrayal.
o Emotional pain of separation and the enduring sorrow of unfaithful love.
• Imagery:
o Coldness: "Pale grew thy cheek and cold."
o Death-like silence: "The dew of the morning sunk chill on my brow."
o Secretive grief: "They know not I knew thee."
• Structure:
o Four octaves with an ABAB rhyme scheme, reflecting melancholic tone.
o A shift from past pain to the ongoing emotional burden of separation.
• Teaching Focus:
o Analyze the tone of regret and betrayal.
o Discuss the Romantic portrayal of intense, personal emotions.

Teaching Activities
1. Comparative Analysis:
o Compare Byron’s portrayal of love in She Walks in Beauty (idealized and
pure) and When We Two Parted (painful and sorrowful).
2. Discussion Questions:
o How does Byron connect emotions with natural imagery in his poetry?
o What do Byron's personal life and relationships reveal about the themes in
his poems?
3. Writing Exercise:
o Ask students to write a short poem inspired by Byron’s style, focusing on a
vivid emotion or a person who left a deep impression.
Overall Themes in Byron’s Work
• Romantic ideals of beauty, nature, and intense emotions.
• Exploration of personal and universal experiences of love, loss, and longing.
• Passionate engagement with life, reflected in his poetry and adventurous lifestyle.

She Walks in Beauty Difficult Words in She Walks in Beauty

She walks in beauty, like the night 1. Climes: Regions or areas of the world with specific
Of cloudless climes and starry skies; weather or climate. Refers to a beautiful, clear night sky.
And all that’s best of dark and bright 2. Starry skies: Skies filled with stars. (Symbolizes beauty
Meet in her aspect and her eyes; and wonder.)
Thus mellowed to that tender light 3. Aspect: Appearance or expression.
Which heaven to gaudy day denies. 4. Mellowed: Softened, made gentle
One shade the more, one ray the less, 5. Tender: Gentle, soft, or delicate.
Had half impaired the nameless grace 6. Gaudy: Bright, showy, or overly colorful
Which waves in every raven tress, 7. Shade: A small darkness. Refers to the balance of light
Or softly lightens o’er her face; and dark
Where thoughts serenely sweet express, 8. Ray: A beam of light. Represents the brightness in her
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place. beauty.
And on that cheek, and o’er that brow, 9. Impaired: Damaged or weakened.
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent, 10. Nameless grace: A unique and indescribable charm or
The smiles that win, the tints that glow, elegance. Refers to her extraordinary beauty that cannot be
But tell of days in goodness spent, defined in words.
A mind at peace with all below, 11. Raven tress: Black hair (raven = dark, tress = a lock of
A heart whose love is innocent! hair). Refers to her flowing black hair.
12. Eloquent: Expressive, clear, and meaningful..
13. Tints: Subtle shades or colors. Refers to the glow of her
skin.
14. Dwelling-place: A place where something resides or
lives.

"She Walks in Beauty," was published in 1815, is a masterpiece by Lord Byron. The poem
includes a beguilingly romantic description of a lovely woman with whom the speaker
appears to be acquainted. It is about her extraordinary inner and exterior attractiveness.
The popularity of this poem can be attributed to the way it depicts the beauty of "a mind at
peace."
The poet is enthralled by the women's exquisite beauty celebrated in the poem.
Lord Byron sends a strong message to his audience, stating that true beauty is a blend of
external and interior beauty. The lady, he claims, is gifted with a stunning appearance and
bodily and spiritual peace. Her innocent and pure thinking enhances her attractiveness.
Byron's innocent soul is revealed through her beautiful movement and charming features.
The poem's central theme is the expression of beauty.

Major Themes:
The main themes are beauty and mental and physical balance. Lord Byron uses adjectives
like "sensitive light" to describe and compare beauty as he produces exquisite imagery for
her charming features, fluency of speech, and purity of love. Byron uses classical diction to
emphasize beauty. He feels that beauty comes from within and that the body only reflects
it. Also, the perfect balance of light and dark emphasizes the perfection of that beauty,
where even a minor adjustment can detract from its attractiveness.
When We Two Parted Difficult Words in She Walks in Beauty
When we two parted 1. Parted: Separated, went away from each other. Refers to the
In silence and tears, lovers' painful separation.
Half broken-hearted Sever: To cut or break apart. Describes the emotional
To sever for years, breaking of their bond.
Pale grew thy cheek and cold, Pale: Lacking color, especially in the face, often due to
Colder thy kiss; sadness or shock. Describes the cold and lifeless appearance
Truly that hour foretold of the lover.
Sorrow to this. Foretold: Predicted or foreshadowed. Suggests that the
The dew of the morning sadness of their parting hinted at future sorrow.
Sunk chill on my brow— Dew: Tiny drops of water that form on cool surfaces in the
It felt like the warning morning. Symbolizes the cold, chilling feelings of regret and
Of what I feel now. loss.
Thy vows are all broken, Chill: A feeling of coldness, often associated with discomfort.
And light is thy fame; Represents the emotional coldness and sadness.
I hear thy name spoken, Vows: Promises, often related to love or loyalty. Refers to the
And share in its shame. broken promises of the lover.
They name thee before me, Fame: Reputation or how someone is viewed by others.
A knell to mine ear; Refers to the lover’s tarnished or dishonorable reputation.
A shudder comes o'er me— Knell: The sound of a bell, often associated with funerals and
Why wert thou so dear? death. Symbolizes the poet's emotional pain when hearing the
They know not I knew thee, lover's name.
Who knew thee too well— Shudder: A sudden, involuntary movement caused by strong
Long, long shall I rue thee, emotion or cold. Represents the poet's intense reaction to
Too deeply to tell. thoughts of the lover.
In secret we met— Rue: To deeply regret something. Reflects the poet’s long-
In silence I grieve, lasting regret over the relationship.
That thy heart could forget, Deceive: To lie or trick someone. Refers to the lover's betrayal
Thy spirit deceive. or dishonesty.
If I should meet thee Spirit: Inner character or soul. Refers to the lover's
After long years, faithlessness and betrayal.
How should I greet thee?— Grieve: To feel deep sorrow or sadness. Describes the poet’s
With silence and tears. mourning of the lost relationship.
Silence: Absence of sound; also implies suppressed feelings
or words. Suggests the unspoken sadness of their separation.

The poem portrays the anguish and disappointment that follows the speaker's
breakup with his sweetheart. Despite the lack of specifics, it's inferred that the original
relationship was private and that the speaker is now furious after learning of his lover's
involvement with someone else.
We were silent and emotional when you and I broke up. For years, our hearts were
torn as we tore ourselves apart from each other. Your cheek turned pale and frigid to the
touch during the break-up, and your kiss was much colder. The way we split up
foreshadowed the agony and sadness I'm experiencing now.
"When We Two Parted" is depressing poetry about a relationship's termination. The
speaker addresses the poem to an ex-lover, giving insight into the never-ending—and
ever-shifting—pain of a breakup. According to the poetry, exes do not simply go their
separate ways after a breakup. Instead, they're frequently marked by enduring, complex
pain and rage. As the speaker finds that his sweetheart has moved on, he feels
disillusioned and frustrated and even questions how he ever cared so much about her in
the first place. The poem, then, is about how messy breakups can be and how rapidly
lovers' impressions of one another may shift after they're no longer together.
The poem starts with a description of the breakup itself. The "broken-hearted"
lovers "parted in silence and tears"—they were "sever[ed]" from one another, implying the
near-physical pain of breaking up. However, something about the rapid physical and
emotional separation between the two lovers seemed to foreshadow the speaker's
subsequent feelings of betrayal. This sudden absence of affection, according to the
speaker, foreshadows the lover's future infliction of even greater anguish. The
circumstances of this relationship and the following breakdown are not revealed, but the
sense of betrayal is palpable.
The speaker then describes how hearing other people talk about the lover hurts
him. But it's also because of the nature of the hearsay: it appears to be the gossip of some
sort, and the rumour is likely about the speaker's ex's new affair. Perhaps a little cruelly,
the speaker then wonders how he could have held his beloved "so dear." How could he
care so much for someone who appears to have forgotten about him—and was their love
as genuine as he had assumed?
These considerations lead him to declare that he will "rue" the lover for a "long,
long" time, illustrating the lingering messiness of breakups. In some ways, the speaker's
attitude shifts due to his perception of the lover's change. It's almost as though, despite
their breakup, he still wants his ex to be his (again speaking to the complicated feelings
that come with the end of a relationship). Hearing tales about the lover suggests that she
has moved on: the lover has given her heart to someone else, jeopardising her and the
speaker's relationship.
Despite the passage of time, the speaker is still moved to "tears" by this bond. The
poem says that people go on with their life, but this does not mean that they are entirely
free of old loves. Feelings are tangled and confusing, hanging around uninvited and
unjustifiably—and, in this case, remaining as unpleasant as they were before, despite
other changes.
It's also worth mentioning that the poem was written in a particular setting. The
poem is supposed to be about Byron's connection with Lady Webster, an aristocrat.
Following the conclusion of their affair, Byron learned that she had also had an affair with
the Duke of Wellington, a British military leader who had recently vanquished Napoleon.
It's supposed that hearing about this second affair enraged Byron, prompting him to pen
the poem. This would explain why the lover's name was (and still is) connected with
"shame" and "fame" by the speaker and why the affair was (and still is) shrouded in secret.
The morning dew sank bitterly into my brow, presaging the emotional chill I'm
experiencing today. Your promises have been breached, and people are talking about you.
I'm humiliated when I hear your name spoken.
Hearing your name makes me shudder like a death bell ringing in my ear. Why did I
ever feel so strongly for you? People have no idea how well I knew you or knew you. I will
regret that for a long time, more than I can express. Because our connection was private, I
lament it privately—and I despise that you have forgotten about me and misled me. What
should I do if I run into you again after a long time? I'll meet you quietly and tearfully.

P B Shelley
➢ born in Field Place, near Horsham, Sussex, England, on August 4, 1792.
➢ was the eldest son of Timothy and Elizabeth Shelley,
➢ inherited his grandfather's substantial fortune and a seat in Parliament.
 ➢ Beginning in 1804, he attended Eton College for six years before enrolling at
Oxford University.
➢ While at Eton, he began drafting poems, but his first publication was the
Gothic book Zastrozzi (1810), in which he used the villain Zastrozzi to
express his own heretical and atheistic views.
➢ Shelley and another student, Thomas Jefferson Hogg, published
"Posthumous Fragments of Margaret Nicholson," a pamphlet of a humorous
poem, and Shelley published Original Poetry; by Victor and Cazire with his
sister Elizabeth.
➢ Shelley in 1811 with Hogg published a pamphlet "The Necessity of Atheism,"
which got him ejected from Oxford after less than a year of enrolment.

To the Sky Lark

P B Shelley
21 stanzas of 5 lines each.

Hail to thee, blithe Spirit!

Bird thou never wert,
That from Heaven, or near it,
Pourest thy full heart
In profuse strains of unpremeditated art.

Happy and carefree…

Higher still and higher

From the earth thou springest
Like a cloud of fire;
The blue deep thou wingest,
And singing still dost soar, and soaring ever singest.

In the golden lightning

Of the sunken sun,
O'er which clouds are brightening,
Thou dost float and run; (you)(does)
Like an unbodied joy whose race is just begun.

The pale purple even

Melts around thy flight;
Like a star of Heaven,
In the broad day-light
Thou art unseen, but yet I hear thy shrill delight,

Keen as are the arrows

Of that silver sphere,
Whose intense lamp narrows
In the white dawn clear
Until we hardly see, we feel that it is there.
(venus … morning star )

28-1-2023
All the earth and air
With thy voice is loud,
As, when night is bare,
From one lonely cloud
The moon rains out her beams, and Heaven is overflow'd.
Thy….your
Bare…. Open , uncovered
Simile…. Skylark is compared to lonely cloud
What thou art we know not;
What is most like thee?
From rainbow clouds there flow not
Drops so bright to see
As from thy presence showers a rain of melody.
Art…are, a rain of melody…. A lot of music
Like a Poet hidden
In the light of thought,
Singing hymns unbidden,
Till the world is wrought
To sympathy with hopes and fears it heeded not:
‫تخیل کے نور میں شاعر کی مانند چھپی ہوتم اے چڑیا‬
‫حمد گارہی ہو بغیر فرمائش‬
‫اس وقت تک کہ دنیا ہمدردی اور امید سے بھر جائے اور خوف کی پروا نہ کرے‬
Like a high-born maiden
In a palace-tower,
Soothing her love-laden
Soul in secret hour
With music sweet as love, which overflows her bower:
Princess
Bower…. A private room
Like a glow-worm golden
In a dell of dew,
Scattering unbeholden
Its aëreal hue
Among the flowers and grass, which screen it from the view:
Dell … valley,
aereal…. Belonging to the air,
hue… color, screen…. ?
Like a rose embower'd
In its own green leaves,
By warm winds deflower'd,
Till the scent it gives
Makes faint with too much sweet those heavy-winged thieves:
embower'd…..encircled
??? heavy-winged thieves…. i.e. air is personified
Sound of vernal showers
On the twinkling grass,
Rain-awaken'd flowers,
All that ever was
Joyous, and clear, and fresh, thy music doth surpass.
Vernal… of spring
Doth….does
Flowers personified… Joyous… happy
Surpass…. Overtake, cross
Teach us, Sprite or Bird,
What sweet thoughts are thine:
I have never heard
Praise of love or wine
That a flood of rapture so divine.
Teach us… tell us, instruct us your sweet music and sound
Thine…. Yours
panted forth…. Breathe out
Rapture…. Extreme pleasure
Divine…. heavenly
Chorus Hymeneal,
Or triumphal chant,
Match'd with thine would be all
But an empty vaunt,
A thing wherein we feel there is some hidden want.
Chorus…. Group of singers
Hymeneal…. Related to praise of God
Triymphal…. Victorious
Chant…. Song
Thine…. Yours
Vaunt….meaningless talk
Want….shortcoming
What objects are the fountains
Of thy happy strain?
What fields, or waves, or mountains?
What shapes of sky or plain?
What love of thine own kind? what ignorance of pain?
Fountain…origin
Strain….here it means songs
With thy clear keen joyance
Languor cannot be:
Shadow of annoyance
Never came near thee:
Thou lovest: but ne'er knew love's sad satiety.
Keen….sharp
Joyance….happiness
Languor….pain
Annoyance….. anger
satiety…..being sated
Waking or asleep,
Thou of death must deem
Things more true and deep
Than we mortals dream,
Or how could thy notes flow in such a crystal stream?
deem …understand
mortals …human beings
notes … songs
crystal …clear
We look before and after,
And pine for what is not:
Our sincerest laughter
With some pain is fraught;
Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought.
before and after …. Past and future
pine … grieved
Fraught …full of
Yet if we could scorn
Hate, and pride, and fear;
If we were things born
Not to shed a tear,
I know not how thy joy we ever should come near.
Scorn … here … to ignore
If we were things born… means if we were not humans and simply non living things
We couldn’t reach the high level of your joy
Better than all measures
Of delightful sound,
Better than all treasures
That in books are found,
Thy skill to poet were, thou scorner of the ground!
measures Of delightful sound = songs
Thy skill to poet were= unmatchable even to the poet
Scorner of the ground …hater of ground who lives high in the sky
Teach me half the gladness
That thy brain must know,
Such harmonious madness
From my lips would flow
The world should listen then, as I am listening now.
gladness…happiness
harmonious madness…passionate lyrical poetry

Ode to the West Wind

O wild West Wind, thou breath of Autumn's being,
Thou, from whose unseen presence the leaves dead
Are driven, like ghosts from an enchanter,
Yellow, and black, and pale, and hectic red,
Wild… uncontrollable
being…existence
enchanter … conjurer
fleeing …running
hectic … severe

Pestilence-stricken multitudes: O thou,

Who chariotest to their dark wintry bed
The winged seeds, where they lie cold and low,
Each like a corpse within its grave, until
Pestilence …disease
multitudes …people, large group of leaves
chariotest …
corpse …dead body
Thine azure sister of the Spring shall blow
Her clarion o'er the dreaming earth, and fill
(Driving sweet buds like flocks to feed in air)
With living hues and odours plain and hill:
Wild Spirit, which art moving everywhere;
Destroyer and preserver; hear, oh hear!
Thine …your azure …blue Thine azure sister--- spring
clarion …a shrill trumpet
hues … colors
odours … smells
II
Thou on whose stream, mid the steep sky's commotion,
Loose clouds like earth's decaying leaves are shed,
Shook from the tangled boughs of Heaven and Ocean,
Angels of rain and lightning: there are spread
On the blue surface of thine aëry surge,
commotion …noise
decaying …dying
shed …thrown Angels of rain=ie clouds
aëry …of air
surge …waves
Like the bright hair uplifted from the head
Of some fierce Maenad, even from the dim verge
Of the horizon to the zenith's height,
The locks of the approaching storm. Thou dirge
Of the dying year, to which this closing night
Maenad … (in ancient Greece) a female follower of Bacchus, traditionally associated
with divine possession and frenzied rites.
dirge …sad song
Will be the dome of a vast sepulchre,
Vaulted with all thy congregated might
Of vapours, from whose solid atmosphere
Black rain, and fire, and hail will burst: oh hear!
congregated …
…
III
Thou who didst waken from his summer dreams
The blue Mediterranean, where he lay,
Lull'd by the coil of his crystalline streams,
Beside a pumice isle in Baiae's bay,
Didst…. Did
Lulled…. Slept through sweet songs
isle … island
And saw in sleep old palaces and towers
Quivering within the wave's intenser day,
All overgrown with azure moss and flowers
So sweet, the sense faints picturing them! Thou
For whose path, the Atlantic's level powers
Cleave themselves into chasms, while far below
Quivering …shivering
azure …blue
Cleave … cut, divide in two
The sea-blooms and the oozy woods which wear
The sapless foliage of the ocean, know
Thy voice, and suddenly grow gray with fear,
And tremble and despoil themselves: oh hear!
sapless foliage … plants without leaves
despoil … rob themselves, shed more their parts
IV
If I were a dead leaf thou mightest bear;
If I were a swift cloud to fly with thee;
A wave to pant beneath thy power, and share
The impulse of thy strength, only less free
Poetry ….
End stopped line ….. run on line …..
Punctuation….. why every line starts with a capital letter……..
Rule…. Every sentence in prose, every new line in poetry … begins with a capital
letter…..Language is arbitrary…… language has no reason…..
Than thou, O uncontrollable! If even
I were as in my boyhood, and could be
The comrade of thy wanderings over Heaven,
As then, when to outstrip thy skiey speed
Comrade…friend…,
Outstrip--Surpass, Exceed, Shelley is saying that if he could recapture that boyhood
freedom, he would never have to pray to the west wind in times of need. He would be free
already.
Scarce seemed a vision; I would ne'er have striven
As thus with thee in prayer in my sore need.
Oh, lift me as a wave, a leaf, a cloud!
I fall upon the thorns of life! I bleed!
A heavyweight of hours has chain'd and bow'd
One too like thee: tameless, and swift, and proud.
Scarce … hardly
V
Make me thy lyre, even as the forest is:
What if my leaves are falling like its own!
The tumult of thy mighty harmonies
Will take from both a deep, autumnal tone,
lyre …a musical instrument
tumult …noise
Sweet though in sadness. Be thou, Spirit fierce,
My spirit! Be thou me, impetuous one!
Drive my dead thoughts over the universe
Like wither'd leaves to quicken a new birth!
And, by the incantation of this verse,
Scatter, as from an unextinguished hearth
impetuous … impulsive, rash
wither'd … shrunken, weak
incantation … spell
verse … poetry
unextinguished …not smothered or quenched
Ashes and sparks, my words among mankind!
Be through my lips to unawaken'd earth
The trumpet of a prophecy! O Wind,
If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?
------------ ---------------- ---------------
The poem was written in the autumn of 1819, according to Shelley, in the forests outside
of Florence, Italy.
The speaker of the poem speaks directly to the west wind. The speaker views the west
wind as a force of death and decay, which he loves since it indicates that rejuvenation
(renewal) and rebirth are coming. The speaker argues in the poem's final two sections that
he wishes to contribute to this rebirth through his poetry, and that the rejuvenation he
expects to see is both political and poetic: a rebirth of society and its writing styles.

"Ode to the West Wind" is divided into seven parts, each with five stanzas—four three-line
stanzas and a two-line couplet—all in iambic pentameter. Each part's rhyme scheme is
based on the terza rima pattern, a three-line rhyme scheme. Each of "Ode to the West
Wind's" seven parts follows this pattern: ABA BCB CDC DED EE.

Shelley begs the wind to sweep him out of his slumber "as a wave, a leaf, a cloud!"
Shelley conjures the wind magically, describing its strength and duty as both "destroyer
and preserver," and asks the wind to sweep him out of his slumber "as a wave, a leaf, a
cloud!" The poet then takes a startling turn in the fifth part, changing the wind into a
metaphor for his creativity, the expressive power that propels "dead thoughts" like
"withered leaves" across the world in order to "quicken a new birth"—that is, to hasten the
arrival of spring.

The spring season is a metaphor for a "spring" of human consciousness, imagination,

liberty, or morality, all of which Shelley felt his work could aid in the development of the
human mind. Shelley requests the wind to be his spirit and his metaphorical spirit, his
poetic faculty, which will play him like a musical instrument, similar to how the wind plays
the leaves of the trees.
Thematically, although the older generation of Romantic poets saw nature as a source of
truth and true experience, the younger generation saw nature primarily as beauty and
aesthetic experience. Shelley effectively ties nature and art in this poem, using powerful
natural analogies to communicate his beliefs about aesthetic expression's strength, import,
quality, and final consequence.

The leaves come in a variety of colours, including yellow, black, white, and wild red. They
appear to be swarms of sick people. You transport the seeds down to the earth as if you
were their chariot, where they will rest for the winter. They lie there like dead bodies in
graves, cold and modest, until your blue sister, the Spring wind, blasts her trumpet and
awakens the ground. She then pulls out the buds.
You send the clouds swirling in the high sky: they seem like dead leaves shaken loose
from the branches of the heavens and the sea. They look like angels, with rain and
lightning falling from the sky.
You jolted the Mediterranean out of its slumber. In the Bay of Baiae, near Naples, that blue
sea was dozing near an island constructed of volcanic rock, immersed in its clear currents.
The remnants of old palaces and towers could be seen in the bay's waters, now
submerged in the water's denser form of daylight. Sea plants that appeared like blue moss
and flowers had overtaken the remains. They are so lovely that they make me dizzy just
thinking about them. Listen to me, wind—you, who change the Atlantic Ocean's smooth
surface into high waves, while deep beneath the surface, sea-flowers and seaweed forests
with sapless leaves hear your voice and turn grey from dread, quivering, and losing their
blooms and leaves—listen to me, wind!
You could carry me if I were a dead leaf. If I were a cloud, you might let me fly with you.
Or, if I were a wave, you propelled onward, I'd share your power—though I'd be less free
because no one can control you. If only I could be the way I was as a child, when I was
your buddy, traveling through the sky with you—then it wouldn't have seemed so absurd to
think I could be as swift as you are—then I wouldn't have called out to you, pleaded to you
in desperation. Please, like a wave, a leaf, or a cloud, carry me up! I'm bleeding because
I'm tripping over life's harsh thorns!

Though I was once as proud, swift, and wild as you, the time has shackled me and
lowered my pride. Make me into a musical instrument for you, exactly like the forest
becomes when you blow over it. So, what if my leaves fall like the leaves of the forest?
Both I and the forest will be filled with deep, autumnal music due to the uproar created by
your tremendous music. Even if it is painful, it will be lovely. You should become my soul,
unruly soul. You should transform into me, you erratic beast. To spark something new and
fascinating, scatter my lifeless thoughts around the cosmos like fallen leaves. Allow this
poem to be a prayer that sends ashes and sparks throughout the human race, as if from a
left unattended fire. Speak through me, and make my words become a prophecy of the
future in this way. Isn't it true, O wind, that if winter is on its way, Spring will be just after it?
Some remains of a statue…. Broken legs, pedestal with words of pride, broken head
…half sunk in sand.

Ozymandias
I met a traveller from an antique land, = Egypt
Who said—"Two vast and trunkless legs of stone = without body
Stand in the desert. . . .Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read =statue maker
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed;
And on the pedestal, these words appear:
My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away."

"Ozymandias" is a sonnet composed by Percy Bysshe Shelley, an English

Romantic poet. Shelley wrote "Ozymandias" in 1817 for a poetry contest with a friend, and
it was published under the pen name Glirastes in The Examiner in 1818. The name
"Ozymandias" comes from an alternate name for Ramses II, the ancient Egyptian king.
Shelley uses a crumbling statue of Ozymandias in "Ozymandias" to depict political
authority's transience and celebrate art's ability to preserve the past. Although the poem is
a 14-line sonnet, it deviates from the sonnet tradition in both form and rhyme scheme,
revealing Shelley's concern in questioning political and poetic standards.
The Egyptian Pharaoh Ramesses II was known as Ozymandias in Greek. The
period saw a resurgence of interest in Ancient Egyptian history, and the export of statues
to British and French museums began in earnest. It's unclear if Shelley saw sculptures in
person or was inspired by an actual sculpture work.
The poem is a sonnet, a fourteen-line single-stanza form popularized in England by
Shakespeare and originated in Italian love poetry. The majority of sonnets are divided into
two sections: an 'octet' (the first eight lines) and a sextet (the last six lines), with the
second half reflecting on the first. The first section of this sonnet establishes the frame
narrative before describing the statue, while the second portion cynically repeats the king's
comments before concluding with a description of the desert setting. The poem is
composed in iambic pentameter; however, there are a few deviations, such as inverted
initial feet ('Nothing aside remains' and 'Tell that its sculptor...').
This sonnet from 1817 is undoubtedly Shelley's most renowned and anthologized poem—
which is odd, given that it is an uncommon Shelley work in many ways, and it touches on a
few of the essential issues in his output as a whole (Beauty, expression, love,
imagination). Nonetheless, "Ozymandias" is a superb sonnet. It focuses on a single
metaphor: the shattered, damaged statue in the desert wasteland, with its haughty,
enthusiastic expression and monomaniacal inscription ("Look on my handiwork, ye Mighty,
and despair!"). The haughty boast of the once-great monarch has been humorously
falsified; Ozymandias' works have collapsed and vanished, his civilisation has vanished,
and all have been reduced to dust by history's impersonal, indiscriminate, destructive
power. The destroyed statue is now only a memorial to one man's arrogance and a strong
statement about human beings' insignificance in the face of time.
Ozymandias is primarily and principally a metaphor for the fleeting nature of political
power. In that sense, the poem is Shelley's most remarkable political sonnet, substituting
the crushing impersonal metaphor of the statue for the specific wrath of a poem like
"England in 1819." However, Ozymandias represents more than just political power; the
monument can also represent humanity's pride and arrogance in all of its forms. The fact
that all that remains of Ozymandias is a piece of art and a collection of words is
noteworthy; like Shakespeare's sonnets, Shelley proves that art and language outlive other
forms of power.

A brief and simple introduction of william wordsworth.

William Wordsworth (1770-1850) was a renowned English poet who played a crucial role
in launching the Romantic Age in English literature. He is best known for his work "Lyrical
Ballads," co-written with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, which emphasized simplicity and the
beauty of nature. Wordsworth's poetry often focused on the natural world, human emotion,
and the connection between the two. His notable works include "Lines Composed a Few
Miles Above Tintern Abbey" and "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud." He served as Poet
Laureate of the United Kingdom from 1843 until his death in 1850.

Wordsworth’s view of nature

William Wordsworth had a profound and reverent view of nature. He saw it as a source of
inspiration, solace, and moral guidance. Wordsworth believed that nature had the power to
nurture the human spirit and foster a deeper understanding of life. He often depicted
nature as a living entity with its own soul and consciousness, capable of influencing human
thoughts and emotions positively.
In his poetry, Wordsworth emphasized the importance of a close relationship with the
natural world, advocating for a return to simplicity and a harmonious coexistence with
nature. He viewed nature as a teacher and a source of wisdom, capable of imparting
important life lessons and spiritual truths. This perspective is evident in many of his works,
such as "Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey" and "The Prelude," where
he reflects on the impact of nature on his own life and growth as an individual.

Solitary Reaper and its brief summary

"The Solitary Reaper" is one of William Wordsworth's most famous poems, first published
in 1807 in his collection "Poems in Two Volumes." The poem is inspired by Wordsworth's
trip to Scotland and describes an experience he had while walking through the Scottish
Highlands.
Summary
In "The Solitary Reaper," the speaker comes across a Highland girl working alone in a
field, reaping grain and singing a melancholic song. The beauty and sorrow of her song
captivate the speaker, even though he cannot understand the language she sings in. He
speculates about the themes of her song, imagining it could be about old, unhappy, far-off
things, or some natural sorrow, loss, or pain.
The poem emphasizes the emotional impact of the girl's song on the speaker. Her voice
and the melody linger in his mind long after he has passed by and can no longer hear her.
The poem highlights Wordsworth's themes of the beauty of nature, the power of music,
and the deep, often inexplicable emotions that such experiences can evoke.
Introduction to "Tintern Abbey"
"Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey," commonly known as "Tintern
Abbey," is a major poem by William Wordsworth, published in 1798 as part of his collection
"Lyrical Ballads," co-written with Samuel Taylor Coleridge. The poem is a reflection on
nature, memory, and the passage of time, written after a walking tour of the Wye Valley in
Wales, where the ruins of Tintern Abbey are located. Though the abbey itself is not
described in the poem, the surrounding landscape serves as the backdrop for
Wordsworth's meditation on his relationship with nature and the changes within himself
over the years.
Summary
The poem begins with Wordsworth revisiting the banks of the River Wye, five years after
his first visit. He describes the serene and picturesque landscape, which has remained
unchanged and continues to provide him with a sense of peace and solace. Wordsworth
reflects on how his perception of nature has evolved since his first visit. As a young man,
he experienced nature with a boundless, almost physical joy. Now, with the passage of
time, his appreciation for nature has deepened and matured into a more reflective and
spiritual connection.
Wordsworth acknowledges that while he no longer feels the same youthful exuberance, he
has gained a more profound understanding of nature's impact on his soul. He expresses
gratitude for the restorative power of nature, which has helped him endure the challenges
and stresses of life.
In the final part of the poem, Wordsworth turns to his sister, Dorothy, who is with him on
this visit. He speaks to her about his hopes that she will also find solace and inspiration in
nature as he has. He believes that the memory of this place will comfort her in the future,
just as it has comforted him.
Overall, "Tintern Abbey" is a contemplative poem that explores themes of memory, the
passage of time, and the transformative power of nature.

5.4.Tintern Abbey
Five years have past; five summers, with the length
Of five long winters! and again I hear
These waters, rolling from their mountain-springs
With a soft inland murmur.—Once again
Do I behold these steep and lofty cliffs,
That on a wild secluded scene impress
Thoughts of more deep seclusion; and connect
The landscape with the quiet of the sky.
The day is come when I again repose
Here, under this dark sycamore, and view
These plots of cottage-ground, these orchard-tufts,
Which at this season, with their unripe fruits,
Are clad in one green hue, and lose themselves
'Mid groves and copses. Once again I see
These hedge-rows, hardly hedge-rows, little lines
Of sportive wood run wild: these pastoral farms,
Green to the very door; and wreaths of smoke
Sent up, in silence, from among the trees!
With some uncertain notice, as might seem
Of vagrant dwellers in the houseless woods,
Or of some Hermit's cave, where by his fire
The Hermit sits alone.
These beauteous forms,
Through a long absence, have not been to me
As is a landscape to a blind man's eye:
But oft, in lonely rooms, and 'mid the din
Of towns and cities, I have owed to them,
In hours of weariness, sensations sweet,
Felt in the blood, and felt along the heart;
And passing even into my purer mind
With tranquil restoration:—feelings too
Of unremembered pleasure: such, perhaps,
As have no slight or trivial influence
On that best portion of a good man's life,
His little, nameless, unremembered, acts
Of kindness and of love. Nor less, I trust,
To them I may have owed another gift,
Of aspect more sublime; that blessed mood,
In which the burthen of the mystery,
In which the heavy and the weary weight
Of all this unintelligible world,
Is lightened:—that serene and blessed mood,
In which the affections gently lead us on,—
Until, the breath of this corporeal frame

It's been five years, five summers, and five long winters since I last heard these waters
flowing gently from the mountains. Once again, I see the high cliffs, which make this wild
and secluded place feel even more isolated. The peaceful landscape blends with the quiet
sky. Today, I relax here under this dark sycamore tree and look at the small gardens and
orchards, filled with green leaves and unripe fruit. I see the hedge-rows and the wild,
playful woods, and the green farms right up to their doors. Smoke rises silently from the
trees, hinting at people living in the woods or a hermit sitting by his fire in his cave.

These beauteous forms, Through a long absence, have not been to me As is a landscape
to a blind man's eye: But oft, in lonely rooms, and 'mid the din Of towns and cities, I have
owed to them, In hours of weariness, sensations sweet, Felt in the blood, and felt along
the heart; And passing even into my purer mind With tranquil restoration:—feelings too Of
unremembered pleasure: such, perhaps, As have no slight or trivial influence On that best
portion of a good man's life, His little, nameless, unremembered, acts Of kindness and of
love. Nor less, I trust, To them I may have owed another gift, Of aspect more sublime; that
blessed mood, In which the burthen of the mystery, In which the heavy and the weary
weight Of all this unintelligible world, Is lightened:—that serene and blessed mood, In
which the affections gently lead us on,— Until, the breath of this corporeal frame And even
the motion of our human blood Almost suspended, we are laid asleep In body, and
become a living soul: While with an eye made quiet by the power Of harmony, and the
deep power of joy, We see into the life of things.

These beautiful scenes have not faded from my memory during my long absence, unlike
how a blind man cannot see a landscape. Often, in lonely rooms or amidst the noise of
towns and cities, I have remembered them, bringing sweet sensations that I felt deeply,
restoring my calm and happiness. These memories gave me quiet joy and influenced my
small, unnoticed acts of kindness and love.
I believe they also gave me a profound gift: a peaceful state of mind that makes the
confusion and burdens of the world feel lighter. In this serene state, our emotions gently
guide us, making us feel almost suspended in a restful sleep, becoming more like a pure
soul. In this calm and joyful state, we can understand the deeper essence of life.
Even if this belief is just an illusion, oh, how often—in times of darkness and the many dull
moments of everyday life; when the restless activity and worries of the world have weighed
heavily on my heart—how often, in spirit, have I turned to you, O forested River Wye! You,
who wander through the woods, how often has my spirit turned to you!

Now, with some half-forgotten thoughts and faint memories, along with a bit of sad
confusion, the picture in my mind comes back again. As I stand here, I not only feel
pleasure in the present moment but also have happy thoughts about how this moment will
bring joy and nourishment in the future. So I dare to hope, even though I am different from
when I first came to these hills. Back then, I was like a young deer, leaping over mountains
and along rivers and streams, wherever nature led me—more like someone running from
something they feared than someone seeking what they loved.
Nature meant everything to me back then. I can't fully describe what I was like then. The
sound of waterfalls fascinated me like a passion. The tall rocks, mountains, and deep, dark
woods were all I needed—they filled me with a feeling and love that required no extra
thought or interest beyond what I saw. That time has passed, and its intense joys and
thrills are gone. But I do not feel faint, nor do I mourn or complain; I have received other
gifts.

I believe I have gained much to compensate for what I have lost. I've learned to see nature
not as I did in my careless youth, but to hear the quiet, sad music of humanity often. It’s
not harsh or unpleasant, yet it has the power to calm and humble me. I've also felt a
presence that fills me with joy from profound thoughts—a sense of something deeply
connected, which exists in the light of sunsets, the vast ocean, the living air, the blue sky,
and in human minds. It's a force that drives all thinking beings and everything we think
about, flowing through everything. That’s why I still love meadows, woods, and mountains,
and everything we see on this green earth. I appreciate all the wonders of sight and sound,
both what we partly create and what we perceive. I'm glad to find in nature and our senses
the foundation of my purest thoughts, the nurturer, the guide, and the protector of my heart
and soul, and the essence of my moral existence.

Nor perchance,
If I were not thus taught, should I the more
Suffer my genial spirits to decay:
For thou art with me here upon the banks
Of this fair river; thou my dearest Friend,
My dear, dear Friend; and in thy voice I catch
The language of my former heart, and read
My former pleasures in the shooting lights
Of thy wild eyes. Oh! yet a little while
May I behold in thee what I was once,
My dear, dear Sister! and this prayer I make,
Knowing that Nature never did betray
The heart that loved her; 'tis her privilege,
Through all the years of this our life, to lead
From joy to joy: for she can so inform
The mind that is within us, so impress
With quietness and beauty, and so feed
With lofty thoughts, that neither evil tongues,
Rash judgments, nor the sneers of selfish men,
Nor greetings where no kindness is, nor all

And maybe, if I hadn’t learned this, I would let my happy spirits fade away. But you are
here with me on the banks of this beautiful river, my dearest Friend. Your voice reminds
me of my youthful heart, and I see my past joys reflected in the lively sparkle of your eyes.
Oh, let me see in you for a little longer what I once was, my dear Sister! This is my wish,
knowing that Nature has never betrayed a heart that loves her. It’s her gift to lead us from
one joy to another throughout our lives. She can fill our minds with peace, beauty, and lofty
thoughts, shielding us from harsh words, hasty judgments, selfish remarks, and insincere
greetings,

The dreary intercourse of daily life,

Shall e'er prevail against us, or disturb
Our cheerful faith, that all which we behold
Is full of blessings. Therefore let the moon
Shine on thee in thy solitary walk;
And let the misty mountain-winds be free
To blow against thee: and, in after years,
When these wild ecstasies shall be matured
Into a sober pleasure; when thy mind
Shall be a mansion for all lovely forms,
Thy memory be as a dwelling-place
For all sweet sounds and harmonies; oh! then,
If solitude, or fear, or pain, or grief,
Should be thy portion, with what healing thoughts
Of tender joy wilt thou remember me,
And these my exhortations! Nor, perchance—
If I should be where I no more can hear
Thy voice, nor catch from thy wild eyes these gleams
Of past existence—wilt thou then forget
That on the banks of this delightful stream
We stood together; and that I, so long
A worshipper of Nature, hither came
Unwearied in that service: rather say
With warmer love—oh! with far deeper zeal
Of holier love. Nor wilt thou then forget,
That after many wanderings, many years
Of absence, these steep woods and lofty cliffs,
And this green pastoral landscape, were to me
More dear, both for themselves and for thy sake!

The mundane routines of daily life will never overcome us or shake our hopeful belief that
everything we see is filled with blessings. So, let the moon shine on you during your
solitary walks, and let the misty mountain winds freely blow against you. In the years to
come, when these wild moments turn into peaceful pleasures, when your mind becomes a
haven for all things beautiful, and your memories echo with sweet sounds and harmonies,
then, if solitude, fear, pain, or sorrow come your way, you will remember me with healing
thoughts of tender joy and these words of encouragement!
And perhaps, if I am in a place where I can no longer hear your voice or see those flashes
of your past life in your eyes, will you forget that we stood together on the banks of this
delightful stream? That I, for so long a worshipper of Nature, came here tirelessly?
Instead, say with even greater love—oh, with a much deeper devotion of sacred love. And
you won't forget that after many travels, many years away, these steep woods, high cliffs,
and this green, pastoral scenery were dear to me, both for their beauty and because of
you!

Introduction to "London, 1802"

"London, 1802" is a sonnet written by William Wordsworth, first published in 1807 in his
collection "Poems in Two Volumes." The poem is a passionate call for the return of the
poet John Milton, whom Wordsworth admired for his moral integrity and virtuous character.
Written during a time of social and political turmoil in England, Wordsworth uses the poem
to criticize the state of the nation and express his longing for the moral and spiritual
leadership he believed Milton represented.
Summary
The poem begins with an apostrophe to Milton, lamenting his absence and the dire state of
England. Wordsworth describes the nation as stagnant and corrupt, comparing it to a
swamp that needs to be purified. He criticizes various aspects of society, including the
church, the government, and the general populace, for their moral decay and lack of virtue.
Wordsworth idealizes Milton, praising his purity, steadfastness, and profound sense of
duty. He views Milton as a guiding light and moral compass who, if alive, could inspire the
nation to return to its former glory and virtue. The poem ends with a plea for Milton's spirit
to rise again and infuse the people with the values of "manners, virtue, freedom, power."
Overall, "London, 1802" is a powerful expression of Wordsworth's disappointment with the
state of contemporary society and his yearning for a return to the moral and ethical
standards exemplified by Milton.